From “Pure” Roman to “Pure” Byzantine, Through Spolia: The Architectural Details in Afridar (Ashkelon)

Modern Ashkelon, founded on the extensive remains of ancient Ascalon, is rich in architectural details; most are focused in the National Park near the Severan Basilica. However, many other artifacts are scattered throughout the current city. In the northern suburb known as Afridar, several collections of architectural elements are displayed at three open-air exhibitions—the “Court of Sarcophagi” and two locations on the shore. The origins of most of these items cannot be determined at this time, although some appear in documentation from the British Mandate period (1930s). This article highlights architectural details from Afridar, mainly from the “Court of Sarcophagi” exhibition, as well as from other sites in Ashkelon. Besides three items with Greek inscriptions, the rest have not been published until now. The author groups them into four categories based on style and date: 1. The “Purely” Roman details; 2. The Roman-Period Spolia Group; 3. The Byzantine-Period Spolia Group; 4. The “Purely” Byzantine-Period Group. All likely belonged to colonnaded structures of Roman and Byzantine Ascalon, such as streets, basilicas, and churches. Some elements are unique in style and lack parallels in local Roman-Byzantine art, and therefore deserve special attention and analysis despite their unclear original context.